Hydraulic electric light switch



April 15, 1958 D. SWINARSKI 2,831,034

HYDRAULIC ELECTRIC LIGHT SWITCH Filed Feb. 5, 1954 IN VEN TOR. Y JA SW/NA 99/0.

ilnited States Patent HYDRAULIC ELECTRIC LIGHT SWITCH Dan Swinarski, Omaha, Nebr.

Application February 5, 1954, Serial No. 408,354

1 Claim. (Cl. 200-82) This invention relates to methods and apparatus for making electrical wiring installations.

As now installed electrical wiring involves costly materials for conduits, conductors and insulation as well as very expensive and time consuming processes and methods for installation.

The present invention has for its object the eliminating of a very large part of this cost by substituting for a portion of the wiring a hydraulic switch system which can be made of relatively inexpensive material.

A further object of the invention is the substitution within homes and other buildings of hydraulic switch systems which operate between the point where a switch is desired and the place of outlet, such as a light fixture.

A further object of the invention is the elimination of great lengths of conduit and the expense of threading and bending attendant upon its use. Also the elimination of great lengths of copper wire and the insulation necessary when copper wire and other live conductors are used.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claim and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, shown the principles of the invention and a mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles.

Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of the outlet end of the system installed in a room.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section of the switch end of the system installed in a room.

Figure 3 is an end view taken along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Insulated wires 18 provide the conductance to and from a light 20 or other outlet which is installed in the ceiling 22, through plaster 16 and plaster board 14.

A hydraulic cylinder 24 is fastened by means of a bracket 26 and nail 28 to a joist 12. Conducting wires 18 are fastened to binding posts 30 by means of screws 32. The posts 30 pass through openings in a right angular arm 27 of the bracket 26 and then through openings in the hydraulic cap 36 ending in terminals or contacts 34. The hydraulic cap 36 is screw threaded and engages internal screw threads in the hydraulic cylinder as shown at 37.

Lead-in cables 19 connect with a source of power. A piston 38 is provided with an O-ring 40 of Neoprene or any suitable material for elfecting a seal and resisting the corrosive effects of hydraulic fluid. A small coil spring 41 is provided having one end thereof suitably secured to the cap 36 to assure the breaking of the circuit on release of hydraulic pressure.

A pin 42 passes through the piston 38 and carries a conducting knob 44. The circuit is completed when the knob 44 makes contact with the terminals 34, and is broken when the contact is broken. It will be seen that the ter minals 34 and the knob 44 form an electrical switch.

A hydraulic cap 46 is screw threaded and engages internal screw threads 48 at the opposite end of the cylinder 24. A tube 48 or hollow line of plastic tubing or flexible metal or other desired material passes through and is sealed into an opening 47 in the cap 46. The tube 48 contains a fluid such as hydraulic fluid. A portion 50 of the cylinder positioned on one side of the piston 38 opens to the flexible tube 48.

The tube 48 may be sectioned and connections made as desired for accommodation to type of material used and individual characteristics of the places where installations are being made. Such a connection is shown at 52.

The tube 48 leads to a hydraulically operated switch now to be described.

A wall plate 54 is fastened to the wall or wall board by means of screws 56. The vertically disposed arm 60 of a U-shaped bracket 58 is rigidly attached to the inner surface of the plate 54 as shown at 64. A hydraulic cylinder 66 has internal screw threads 68 and 70 at its respective ends. The threads 68 are engaged by a meshing thread of cylinder cap 72. The cylinder cap 72 is provided with an opening 74 into which a section 73 of tubing is sealed. The cap 72 is also provided with a pair of cars (one not shown) for pivotal connection at 78 with the vertical arm 62 of the U-bracket 58.

The threads 70 at the opposite end of the cylinder 66 are engaged and the end of the cylinder closed by cylinder cap 80. A centrally placed opening 82 receives the shank 84 of a push button 86. The shank 84 is received through an opening 88 in the plate 54. The opening 88 is of slightly larger diameter than the shank 84 and is beveled at its upper edge at 92. The shank 54 is notched on its upper side to provide a series of teeth 90. Slight play and movement is provided for between the shank 84 and the opening 88. Teeth 90 can engage or be disengaged from the beveled edge 92.

The inner end of the shank 84 is reduced at 83 and is received in a central opening of a piston 96. An annular groove in the piston 96 receives an O-ring 94 for sealing against leakage of hydraulic fluid contained in the compression chamber 97. A compression spring is seated at one end against the cap 72 and at the other end against the inner surface of the piston 96. A compression spring 93 is seated in bracket 91 at one end, and at its opposite end is pressed against a seat 77 provided on the exterior portion of the cylinder 66.

In operation the two cylinders 24 and 66 form a hydraulic system containing any desired hydraulic fluid. The force of the spring 93 upon the cylinder 66 holds the teeth 90 well in contact with the engaging surface 92 of the plate 54. When the button 86 is pushed slightly downwardly, the whole cylinder rocks about the pivot 78 and the teeth are freed. The button 86 is then pushed inwardly to make contact and light the light, or allowed to travel outwardly under the influence of the spring 95 and break contact for turning ofi the light.

When the button 86 is pushed inwardly, pressure is applied by the piston 94 to the fluid within the chamber 97. This pressure travels instantly through the system to the fluid within the chamber 50 of the cylinder 24 and the piston 38 is pushed so that knob 44 makes contact with terminals 34 to complete the circuit and light the light.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a hydraulic light switch constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

In combination with a building having a room having walls, a hydraulic system for controlling an electrical circuit comprising a hydraulic pressure switch having two terminals for connection to an electrical circuit, an elongated hydraulic line connected to said hydraulic pressure switch, and means connected to the other end of said hydraulic line for manually applying pressure to said hydraulic line, and hydraulic fluid in said line whereby when said pressure applying means is actuated for the application or release of pressure said hydraulic switch will be closed and opened correspondingly, said manual pressure applying means including a movable control means and releasable means for maintaining said mov- 4 able control member in a fixed position for applying pressure to said hydraulic line at times when manual pressure on said control member is removed for the main tenance of said hydraulic switch in a closed position in which said hydraulic line extends behind the walls of said building.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

